Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-09-24

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"Whatever happens. you done it,"
L sat there IN 'front.' OF the mouse, watch
ing the darkness and thinking. 1t was
better to he out in the open, listening to
the voice of the waves, than boxed up in
a bedroom, o prey to every sort of fear.
Presently I arose and went out in the
dark, down the steep path that led to the
beach. knew every step, and needed no
light to guide me over the rough way.
But about half way down l heard another
step on the path below me-the step of one
person. 1t was too dark to sec anything,
but l thought of Joshua. 1t must be
Joshua come to help unload the cargo.
Natural that he should come to look after
the venture in which he had IL share.
had no desire to speak with him, so l
stayed where I was, stepping Off the path,
and sat down on the hillside to wait.
And then-good heavens! what did it
mean?-thcrc came more steps; steps in
the distance, steps in the road above, the
confused tramp of many feet upon the
stones of the rough lane which led from
Axemouth to Rousdon. Whose could
these be- And what could they want,
coming to Rousdon bay ut 3 in the morn
ing,
was standing Oh n ledge of rock over
hanging the path from the house to the
beach. BY laying along the ledge l could
look over the heads of these men as they
came down the hill, and almost touch
! Than, yynifal vp1,slp <Ln- ,,,.,l L.. A..
silent house. They did not stop there;
evidently they had no business with its
occupants; and then a pung of terror
struck my heart, for | reflected that | was
the only occupant; and although they
might have no business with me, they
might have with those who ought to have
been there that night. lay down on the
rock and cautiously looked over through
the branches Of u bramb!e.
1t was not so dark but ! could distin-
guish the figures of the men as they cano
down the zigzag path, and slowly felt
their way along the steep and narrow way
beneath me. 1t was not SO dark but I
could count that there were sixteen of
them, and l could hear the clash of arms.
Then l knew, without being told or want
ing to see any more, what they were and
what was their erraEd.
They were the revenue men: they had
got the intelligence of Dams run; they
were come to catch him at the moment Of
landing-in the very act of running his
cargo ashore.
Thought, by the feel of the air and the
look of the sky, that it must be near upon
3 o'clock-say an hour and a half be-
fore daybrcak. That is to say, it was the
very time which Dan would choose, had he
a favorable wind, for landing. And the wind
was favorablc-a steady, strong south
wcstcr, before which the Dancing Polly
would fly. There could be no doubt that he
was off the coast already.
1T seemed To me there was Just one
chance-and only orc. The revenue men
were all down on the beach at the west
side of the bay, under the rocks which
were carried away aftcrward in the great
1andslip. Suppose 1 could get, unseen, to
the point of land which ran out-just Il
little point-on the east, and shout an
alarm ut the moment when the Dancing
Polly neared the mouth of the bay.
1t was the only chance. / knew every
l had no need to get down by the path.
1 slid, jumped and crept, working nv
way round the bay, SO as to get to the
point unnotieel.
That was easy. I dare say the men
were all half asleep; the night was very
dark, and my figure could hardly be made
out against the black masses of rock and
~overhanging bramblcs. l arrived at the
point, and, crouched behind a stone, I sat
watching intently the black waves close
Mt my feet and the black sky above me.
1t grew cold, as it always does before
the dawn, but ! felt nothing; in the in
tense moments Of life one docs not think
OF such things. I prayed that Dan might
be late, and that the day might break, so
that he should be able to see me before he
made his port. For, once in the bay,
which was, rs l have said, but n tiny
creek, there was no room to turn, and tho
opportunity would be lost.
Alas! that hope failed.
While | sat watching, and almost be-
fore | had time to make her out, the
Dancing Polly came UP out of the black
ness OF the night, steering straight for
the mouth Of the bay.
l sprany up, and shrieked, and waved
my arms.
"Back, Dan, back! hard a port!n
1t was no use. Dan saw nc on the
point, but her bows were already in the
creek. Job and Jephthah ran down the
canvas, and the boat grounded on the
beach.
The Dancing Polly had made her last
run.
ran round the bay for my life, spring
ing from stone to stone in tic dark, cry
ing. dan, Dan! they are waiting for YOU.
Run! Oh, run, run Will, rum"
There was a shout, a rush, the sudden
flashing Of dark lanterns. SIN the kings
name" shouted a rough voice, ''surren-
DER"
When 1 got round they had secured
their prisoners. All four were hand
cuffed, and the men were standing round
them in a ring. 1 broke through them,
stu shrieking my useless warning, ana
fell crying upon Dams neck.
- heard you, my pretty, - said the poor
old man, "but it was too late. You done
your best, but it was too late"
1hugged him and kissed him, crying
and weeping. Then 1 remembered Will.
HE is q passenger" l said to the
officer; "lct him go. He only went to
look on. He a stranger here. He is not
a smugglcr, he is q gentleman"
"He is my prisoner" said the officer,
"and must go with the rest. Fall in, men!
Ready! March,"
The men had their cutiasses drawn. but
there was no bloodsEcd, as there was no
resistance. Dan was not one Of the des-
peradoes who carried pistols, and ar
ranged beforehand for nm nrr,ad bop1 ~